Texas boy, 6, recovers after rare brain lesion misdiagnosed as flu; mother's Google search leads to lifesaving surgery

A Texas mother’s internet search led to lifesaving treatment for her 6-year-old son after doctors initially misdiagnosed a rare brain lesion as the flu, family members and treating physicians said.

Witten Daniel was admitted to a Lubbock hospital in April with dizziness and a headache. Hospital staff initially attributed the symptoms to influenza, but within 24 hours the boy could not walk, speak or breathe on his own and then lost consciousness, his mother, Casey Daniel, told KCBD.

Doctors intubated Witten and began emergency testing. Imaging revealed a cavernous malformation — an abnormal cluster of blood vessels — leaking inside his brainstem. Seizures and strokes followed, and clinicians warned the family that even if he survived he might never walk again and could require a ventilator and feeding tube permanently.

"There are no words to describe how horrifying it is to see your child in that kind of condition," Casey Daniel said. With the family running out of options, she searched the internet for specialists and found an article by Dr. Jacques Morcos, a neurosurgeon at UTHealth Houston, who had experience treating cavernous malformations. She emailed him pleading for help.

Morcos responded and insisted Witten be transferred to UTHealth Houston. There, neurosurgeons Morcos and pediatric neurosurgeon Manish Shah performed emergency surgery to remove the lesion. The operation lasted about four hours and was described by the team as high risk due to the malformation’s location in the brainstem.

Within hours of the procedure, Witten was awake, breathing unaided and speaking, hospital officials and the family said. Six weeks after surgery he returned to Lubbock in time to celebrate his 7th birthday. The family said he had been cleared to resume playing little league this fall, with the caveat that he send pictures while on the field.

Cavernous malformations, also called cavernomas, are uncommon vascular abnormalities. The Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation estimates about one in 500 people have at least one lesion in the brain or spinal cord. Symptoms most often appear between ages 20 and 40, with seizures the most common sign. Other manifestations include bleeding, headaches, blurred vision, weakness and speech problems. About 20% of cases are associated with a genetic predisposition, in which patients may develop multiple malformations over their lifetimes.

Clinicians say presentation and progression can vary widely. When lesions are located in the brainstem, the region that controls breathing and basic motor functions, bleeding or swelling can produce rapid and life-threatening deterioration, as occurred in Witten’s case.

After the surgery, family posts and television interviews described the recovery as "beautiful," and Witten told reporters he was grateful to be able to see his friends and play again. "I want to say thank you to Dr. Morcos and Dr. Shah for letting me see my friends again," he said.

Medical teams emphasize that early and accurate diagnosis of acute neurological decline is critical. In cases of sudden weakness, speech changes, dizziness or altered consciousness, clinicians typically recommend prompt neuroimaging and specialist consultation to distinguish among infectious, inflammatory, vascular and other causes.

UTHealth Houston did not provide additional public comment beyond the family’s account. The Daniels said they were grateful to the surgeons and hospital staff whose intervention they say saved Witten’s life. He has since started second grade and is participating in follow-up care to monitor recovery and check for any additional vascular lesions.